10 Tips to make your vacation a fruitful one

The second week of exams is approaching…but that also means you are only about a week away from freedom! Residential Life has compiled a list of fun (and worthwhile) activities to look forward to this long holiday!

 

Do something related to your career

Three months is a long time. Why not spend your time doing an internship or a certification course related to your dream job? Not only will you be filling that sparse resume, but you can get a feel of what specific role or companies you want to enter after you graduate. You’ll also gain the the necessary skills and contacts to enter that industry later on!

 

…but also spend time doing what you like!

This is the time to catch up on your favourite shows, watch movies, or read. Whatever your hobbies are, you can spend a lot of time on them over the next few weeks without feeling guilty about sacrificing study time!

 

Volunteer

…because there are rewards other than money or As! There are many community service opportunities out there for every type of person. Animal lovers can volunteer to walk dogs at shelters, while those who love kids can offer tuition to needy primary school students! Those who love to travel can also take part in overseas Youth Expedition Projects where they can improve communities and travel. Do check out NUS’ very own Community Service Club or Rotaract Club for their year-round community service programmes!

 

Explore the great outdoors

You were probably stuck indoors all day these last few weeks, studying. Now is the time to get some sunshine! Fortunately, we have a bunch of free parks near NUS: the Southern Ridges is a park system connecting Kent Ridge, Telok Blangah Hill, HortPark, Mount Faber and Labrador Nature Reserve. Not only will you see a diversity of flora and fauna on this 10 km stretch, but also the highest pedestrian bridge (at Telok Blangah Hill) with photogenic wavelike structures. Bring some food, a picnic mat and your best friends!

 

Sleep

You’ve probably gotten 6 hours or less sleep throughout the semester…so this is your time to catch up on some zzzs! Not to scare you, but here is a guide on some not-so-nice things that could happen if you continually burn the midnight oil. And it’s more than just unsightly eyebags.

 

Eat

In the midst of preparation, you probably have not been eating well. Maybe you consistently grabbed a curry puff on the way to every exam, or mindlessly munched on chips while memorizing formulas. Now that exams are over, you can spend more time enjoying food, and put in more effort in preparing it! Here are desserts and dinners for you to try making.

 

Clean out your room

Revamped room at Prince George’s Park Residences | Anna Villarica

 

A pile of notes on your desk? Files and test papers encroaching on your bed? Trust us – it’d be very cathartic to clean your room after exams! Get your Febreeze and a music playlist ready to breeze through clean-up.

 

Get active again

These last few weeks, there wasn’t time to sneak in a gym workout. Or maybe there was, but you avoided exercising because you can’t be tired…after all, you have five more chapters to read before you sleep! Experts tell us however, that being tired isn’t an excuse for skipping exercise. On the contrary, exercising helps keep us alert! Either way, now’s the perfect opportunity to get moving again! 

 

Check in with your loved ones

For those who became hermits over exam season and rejected every invite to go out, it’s about time you reminded your loved ones how you look like. Especially for those who live in Residences or Halls – you are dearly missed by your families!  Now, you have the time to visit your loved ones, give them a call, or even surprise them with a hearfelt letter.

 

Visit your old school

Nelson Mandela once said, ”There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” This holiday, visit your old schools for a dose of nostalgia – and let former teachers see for themselves how much you’ve grown since!